University of Iowa
EN-3: Student Life

Environmental Coalition - The UI Environmental Coalition cares for the environment through activism, education, and enjoyment. Their goal is to instill a sense of pride in our natural environment and to share passion for protecting our home. Some projects include an organic student garden, the Sustainability Living and Learning Community, Green Consulting, Recycling, and a Bike Share proposal that is currently under consideration. UIEC also conducts an annual weatherization project, hosts several smaller events throughout the year, and works with the Office of Sustainability and other environmental organizations. 

American Wind Energy Association at Iowa - AWEA at Iowa is a student chapter of AWEA (American Wind Energy Association), the national association. Its goal is to promote wind energy on The University of Iowa campus through projects, events, and professional development for careers in wind energy and other areas that focus on the environment and sustainability.

City Planners at Iowa - City Planners at Iowa exists to bring awareness to social and equity issues around current urban development in Iowa and around the United States. These issues include auto dependency, lack of pedestrian friendly environments, and a severe lack of dense urban development. The state of our communities have created devasting side effects on both the social and environmental fabric of our society. They hope to bring awareness to these issues and advocate for solutions through public transit, city planning and city beautification. And hope to be a positive force in undoing the decades of damage to our communities, in order to create sustainable and vibrant communities for ourselves and our posterity.

Climate Reality Campus Corps at the University of Iowa - The Climate Reality Campus Corps at the University of Iowa aims to educate and inspire other people and organizations to transition to a more sustainable future. Additionally, they provide a sense of community and support to those passionate about environmentalism who want to participate in being a part of the solution to the climate crisis.

Environmental Law Society - The purpose of the Environmental Law Society (ELS) is to enable law and university students to engage with environmental law and policy issues through volunteer and informational events. ELS also facilitates professional networking for law students.

Student Association of Environmental Sciences - The Student Association of Environmental Sciences will be a resource for environmental science and geoscience students, creating more of a community within the majors. In addition, we accept and welcome all people from any major who enjoys exploring the outdoors, wants to help fight issues such as climate change, or just want a great group of people to call your new friends! We intend for this student org to facilitate networking among students and faulty, provide information on research and job opportunities, and to give professional advice on how to succeed in the major and make students more attractive to employers.

Student Water Quality Professional - This Chapter shall be a not-for-profit, professional organization for anyone with an interest or with plans to enter the water or wastewater industries, the water resources profession, or related profession. Student Water Quality Professionals at Iowa is a student chapter of the Water and Environment Federation, so students will be provided an abundance of resources not only from the University of Iowa, but also from WEF, which can further help assist them on their desired professional goals.

UIowa Gardeners - The mission is to demonstrate an educational model of sustainable food production and consumption and to address environmental, social, cultural, and economic issues. The garden is nestled on a 1/3 acre plot on the far west campus near the Hawklots and community gardens used by University Apartment residents. Although the garden is not certified organic, the gardeners grow delicious produce following organic practices using no pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilizers. The gardeners collaborate with the University of Iowa Food Services and sell produce to Iowa Memorial Union for use in the River Room and IMU Catering. Goals include: 1. Create mentoring opportunities for students who want to learn practical skills. 2. Provide sustainably grown produce to the University of Iowa Food Services. 3. Provide options for sustainable food choices and lifestyle practices all UI students. 4. Promote interdisciplinary cooperation between student environmental organizations. 5. Serve as a resource for research and education for students and faculty in all colleges and departments. Kozu Harvest Event - The University of Iowa Center for the Book paper-making specialist Nick Cladis hosts the Center's annual kozo harvest at the Oakdale Paper Research Facility. People harvested, steamed, and peeled the field of kozo. Learning a lot about processing bark fibers in traditional ways.

Net Impact: Net Impact is a nonprofit membership organization for students and professionals interested in using business skills in support of various social and environmental causes. It serves both a professional organization and one of the largest student organizations among MBAs in the world. Students serve as board advisers and consultants for area businesses on sustainability and social responsibility topics. From its central office in San Francisco, the organization supports over 200 autonomous volunteer-run chapters and a membership base of over 10,000, with programs and networking events centered on topics such as corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, international development, and environmental sustainability.

The Iowa Climate Festival is an educational opportunity to learn about climate science through discussions and hands-on experimentation. Topics included the Paris Climate Agreement, a climate-themed science fair, and panel discussions.

Iowa Organic Conference - The conference features roundtable discussions and an organic luncheon, as well as information from keynote speaker Jeff Moyer.

Workshops include: Crop production Livestock production Local foods Policy Beginning farmers Hubbel Environmental Law Initiative - HELI sponsors an acclaimed lecture series on environmental issues, which features leading voices from academia, government, environmental groups, and industry. The lecture series provides Iowa Law students the opportunity to learn from leaders of the environmental movement in the United States, builds relationships between the Law School and the environmental community, and contributes to debate about the environmental challenges facing our nation and the world. Students have the opportunity to meet privately with speakers during their visits to Iowa Law. Some lecturers are co-sponsored by other schools and programs at the University of Iowa. All lectures are open to the public. Admission is free.

Kohn Colloquium - The University of Iowa Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences hosts this weekly colloquium series that serves as a forum to share ideas and engender a healthy, provocative discussion from various subfields of Geography and from intersecting disciplines. This colloquium series brings faculty guests from across campus, the state and the nation to present to the university on topics related to Geography. It also provides an opportunity for graduate students to share their research ideas including PhD dissertation proposals.

Powering Change: Challenges and Solutions for a Clean Energy Future - A thought-provoking and insightful panel discussion on climate and energy transitions, featuring three distinguished experts, including two Iowa alumni, at the forefront of sustainability and energy transitions. With expertise ranging from energy efficiency and global methane mitigation to renewable energy adoption, our panelists will discuss the strategies and solutions driving our global transition towards cleaner and more resilient energy sources as well as the challenges and opportunities on the horizon.

2020 Empowering Tribal Culture, Ecology, And Food Systems Webinar Series; Restoring Seed Relatives: Collection and Storage Techniques - Topic 1: There’s a Whole Lot of Saving Needed to Save Seeds – Mervyn L. Tano, M.Ed., J.D., President, International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management, Attorney, and Author in Indian law and Cultural Resource Management - Topic 2: Seed Collection, Cleaning, Storage, Propagation and Germination – Bridget McNassar MS, Native Plants and Conservation Manager, Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center True Distinguished Lecture – "Chemistry, Coughing and Climate: Challenges and Opportunities in the Air Quality-Climate Nexus.” - The research of Professor Finlayson-Pitts focuses on complex surfaces and air quality, with understandings relevant to atmospheric chemistry, climate change, and sustainability. A meet and greet was also held.

Earth Science Week: Geoscience Innovating for Earth and People - It is a way for students to learn about the many ways that geosciences are helping communities create healthier and more sustainable lives, while innovating environmental problem-solving around the world. This is achieved with a whole week dedicated to events relating to these themes.

Die No Die - Situated at sunset amidst the Ashton Living Prairie Laboratory and traversing approximately 1200 meters across the Ashton Cross Country Course, Die No Die is a performance structured in the spirit of a shooting star—bursting into view, scintillating, to be lunged after, beheld, or lost. The intensity of its arrival initiates idiosyncratic choreographies designed to “send the heart deeper,” as both performer(s) and audience negotiate the contours of meaning, connection, and control.

Japanese Papermaking Festival - The UI Center for the Book resident artisans interacted with the UI community through lectures, hands-on workshops and demonstrations, and the production of a papermaking project at the UICB Oakdale Papermaking Research Facility. Prompt for the Planet - What would happen if a whole community was invited to engage with nature through any kind of art? Could the process prompt change? Would the process flow through the community in patterns that mimic those found in nature?

Prompt for the Planet: Community Creates explores and celebrates the radial explosions, and interconnected root systems just one call for environmentally engaged art can create.

The Iowa Mountaineers - Film about how with its clubhouse in a small town, a thousand miles from the nearest mountain, The Iowa Mountaineers welcomed the irony of being midcentury America’s 4th largest climbing organization. Alongside the more famous Sierra Club, Mazamas and Appalachian Mountain Club, they pioneered wilderness education standards and took thousands of Midwesterners to explore mountainous regions in a safe way with enjoyable companions.

The Recycled Runway Fashion Show reuses donated plastic bags by transforming them into clothing, using the skills of community designers and showcased by models. This is put on through the Event Management Workshop, a class through the event management certification program, and within it, six students are leading this year’s Recycled Runway event.

Outdoor-based classes are offered through our Lifetime Leisure Skills (LLS) academic department. All of the outdoor-based classes advocate and follow what the department calls a “Land Ethic” (Aldo Leopold), which is in line with Leave No Trace principles required for National Park Trips. Examples of programs include Introduction to Camping, Exploring Iowa's Natural Wonders, Hiking, Backpacking, Flat Water Canoeing, River Canoeing, and Expedition Canoeing, just to name a few. The Pentacrest Museums guides strolls on campus featuring the ecological diversity, symbolism, history, and lore of our trees, throughout the year. These nature walks & talks are used for discovery, restoration, mindfulness & movement in our program.

Research-Focused First-Year Seminars provide students with an opportunity to learn firsthand about the nature and process of university research and creative scholarship at the University of Iowa. Research-focused FYS's also allow faculty to engage students in asking and answering research and creative questions. Any new first year student can enroll in a research-focused First-Year Seminar, and no prior knowledge of or experience with research is necessary. Examples of First-Year Seminars in Sustainability include Solving the Grand Challenges of Sustainability and Sustainable Urbanism.

Iowa Initiative for Sustainability Communities - The Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC) brings University of Iowa students to communities across the state to collaborate with local leaders on real-world projects. The program offers essential, energizing, and applicable learning experiences to graduate and upper-level undergraduate students, while simultaneously providing valuable services to communities.

The Green Room Certification program is a tool that helps students living on-campus recognize that they have incorporated sustainable practices into their everyday lives and gets them a score categorizing them in gold, silver, and bronze.

The Office of Sustainability hires undergraduate and graduate students to work on various projects within the office, including the USS program and STARS data collection! The Tippie College of Business hires undergraduate and graduate sustainability interns, as well. The University of Iowa Student Government also employs a Director of Sustainability. All University of Iowa hiring is done through the financial aid site. Climate Change and Health (CCH) Research Internship Program. The objective of the CCH undergraduate research internship program is to recruit and mentor students interested in researching biological mechanisms that link climate change and health and translate research knowledge toward improving health in Iowa and the nation. A $1,500 stipend will be provided each fall and spring semester while the intern is conducting research.

Frontier Co-op Case Competitions: The Tippie Impact Case Competition is geared towards students who are interested in sustainability issues facing our society, specifically in the business environment. Students learn how to develop a sustainable business model and identify environmental and social components that factor into the long-term profitability and viability of their business. Throughout the competition, students will consult with faculty, business owners, and sustainability professionals to work through your business model canvas. During the finals, pitch your sustainable business concept to a panel of judges. Cash prizes will be awarded to winners and an opportunity to develop your business inside the Bedell Entrepreneurship Learning Laboratory (BELL).